Social and economic development of underdeveloped & developing countries bringing about an equitable growth eradicating the poverty, hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy and providing the poor better livelihood options...

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The agriculture sector which employs more than 55% of India's
work force stands at a cross roads. Measures taken by the government during
next few years would decidethe shape
the agriculture sector would take

Huge food grains stocks
and rising exports of India’s agricultural goods, the union budget presentation
for 2013-14 would not have come at a better time for the sector which employs
more than half of country’s working class population.

As finance minister P Chidambaram
rose to present the union budget for the year 2013- 14, there was lot of
expectation from the arming community. Nothing explains the agriculture sector
better than the Economic Survey 2012-13 presented before the parliament just a
day before the union budget was announced. The survey observed “Indian
agriculture is broadly a story of success. It has done remarkably well in terms
of output growth, despite weather and price shocks in the past few years,”.

The Eleventh Five Year
Plan (2007-12) agricultural and allied sector witnessed an average annual growth
of 3.6 percent in the gross domestic product (GDP) against a target of 4.0
percent. While it may appear that the performance of the agriculture and allied
sector has fallen short of the target, production has improved remarkably, growing
twice as fast as population. “India’s agricultural exports are booming at
a time when many other leading producers are experiencing difficulties,” the survey which is an annual report card of government’s performance noted.

The Survey calls for staying on the path of indicated fiscal consolidation.
This, it says, is critical to sustaining the desirable macroeconomic outcomes not
only in terms of higher growth in real GDP and lower inflation, but also in easing
the financing of the widening current account deficit (CAD),for which India’s sovereign
credit rating is important

Highlights of India Economic Survey 2012-13

-Economic growth pegged at 6.1-6.7
percent in 2013-14

-March 2013 inflation
estimated at 6.2-6.6 per cent

-Priority will be to rein in
high inflation

-FDI in retail to pave the
way for investment in new technology and marketing of agriculture produce

-At present, overall energy
deficit is about 8.6 percent and peak short of power is about 9
per cent.

-Infrastructure bottlenecks
affecting industrial sector performance

-Prospects for world trade as
well as of India are still

-Pitches for further opening
of sectors for FDI

Generally seen as
anticipating the union budget, the economic survey for 2012-13 tabled in
parliament on February 27 on the eve of the central budget 2013-14, expectedly pitched
for further reforms, cut in subsidies, definitive action on eliminating
barriers to investment and employment generation.

However, the message is also that use of
technology without sufficient penetration
may actually do more damage to the credibility of the technological innovation rather
than help streamline delivery of subsidies in a better way

.... A policy initiative in India

Cash
transfers are the new mantra for resolving all the problems that plague service
delivery in India. However, cash transfers are neither new (scholarships,
pensions and even NREGA payments are all cash transfers) nor does the much hyped
roll-out of Direct Benefit Transfers through Aadhar in 21 districts
involve any scheme which is not already a cash transfer. The debate really
is about the future possibility of converting existing in-kind subsidies such
as food, fertiliser and fuel into cash. Theoretically, there is nothing wrong
in a system of cash subsidy delivery
so long as beneficiaries can
purchase the equivalent amount of goods and services through the cash.
Proponents of cash transfers see this as a magic bullet not because this
improves outcomes in terms of the stated purpose of subsidies but because it
may cure problems in present service delivery which at present is plagued with
serious leakages. Another argument in favour of cash transfers is that current in-kind
subsidies are market distorting and the belief that therefore cash
transfers may be more
efficient.

Non Performing Assets
(NPAs) are the debts for which the bank has not
received any interest or principal repayment for an extended period of time.
Since no income accrues to the lending institution from these debts, these are classified as NPAs. We can say that NPA refers to loans that are in jeopardy of default. If a
loan instalment is not paid to a bank or financial
institution for three months
continuously, it is considered NPA and the bank records it as NPA in its book
of accounts. NPAs create burden on the financial institutions and hence they are often good dictators of the health of a financial institution.

What is Digital Signature?

The digital counterpart of
the handwritten signature is Digital Signature. Just as a paper document is
authenticated with handwritten signature, digital signature authenticates the
identity of the owner of the document in the digital world. It gives the
assurance about the sender of the document
as also the fact that the document has not been altered. Digital Signature is a
kind of stamp which is very difficult to duplicate
and forge. The Information Technology Act, 2000 requires the use of Digital Signatures
to ensure security and authenticity of all electronically filed documents. Digital Signature certificates (DSC) can be purchased from Certification Agencies (CAs) approved
by the Controller of Certifying Authorities. Currently MTNL CA, TCS, IDBRT,
Safety crypt (Satyam), Code Solutions, NIC, and e-Mud are the authorised
Certification Agencies for individuals in India. The
Digital Signature Certificates (DSCs) generally have a
validity of one year or two years and are legally admissible in a court of law.

The good governance comes
out from the strong commitment of the government where all commitment is made keeping people as
focus

When I started writing this article on Public Policy and
Governance, I was a bit puzzled as what to write and what not to write? Many pioneer
works have been done in this area, in India and also globally. Almost all
shades, of it, over the years, have been explored by various scholars and practitioners.
And, my thoughts took me to an old time story written by revered writer Munshi
PremChandjee. This story is about
a local leader who was very respectable and popular amongst the people. He, all
through his life fought for the justice, equality and
transparency. The leader had a very
pretty and intelligent daughter with whom he used to share all his progressive
thoughts and spiritual discourse. She was very impressed with her father and
she always considered him as a role model. She had a lot of respect for him. She
rather believed that only a person like him can give good governance and do
justice to his people. Once, on the eve of a big festival, her father was
invited by the local community to be the chief guest and to perform the special
pooja in the temple which the community was organising and also requested him to give award and
bless the youth who belonged to the same village who had done some commendable
work for the society. The leader accepted the invitation and gave his consent
to be the part of the special occasion. On the special day, the daughter also
accompanied her father to be the part of the celebration. The special pooja was
well performed and then for conferring award, the name of the youth was called for
the award. The Youth came forward, touched the feet of the leader and got his
blessings. His citation was read before everybody that how he helped educating people and fighting against any kind
of discrimination, be it caste, class, creed, region, religion, belief etc. He
was praised further about how he could bring change amongst them. The leader,
in his speech, also had lot of praise for him. He admired him by saying that
our country should have youth like him. He could be the role model for the
whole society and generations to come. He then in his praise garlanded him and hugged
him. The leader’s daughter was carefully listening to each word her father was
saying in the praise of the youth and was feeling very happy within. The daughter,
while returning home, was engrossed with her father’s speech and constantly
thinking about her father. All the scenes were repeatedly flashing
before her and reminding her again and again that how
her father hugged the youth, knowing well that he comes from the lower caste.
She became emotional and hugged her father and whispered in his ears, “Babujee
! I love you.” The father smiled, patted and hugged her.

It is the intent and
objective of the Government of India to attract and promote foreign direct investment
in order to supplement domestic capital, technology and skills, for accelerated
economic growth. Foreign Direct Investment, as distinguished from portfolio
investment, has the connotation of establishing a 'lasting interest' in
an enterprise that is resident in an economy other than that of the investor.

The Government has put in
place a policy framework on Foreign Direct Investment, which is transparent,
predictable and easily comprehensible. This framework is embodied in the Circular
on Consolidated FDI Policy, which may be updated every year, to capture and
keep pace with the regulatory changes, effected in the interregnum. The Department
of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce &
Industry, Government of India makes policy pronouncements on FDI.

RTI act democratized the information and decentralized
the power. Power no more remains confined to
select few, rather it was made available equally
to all the citizens

“That Government Is Best Which Governs Least.” - Henry David Thoreau

Good
governance, in modern democracy, means democratization of governance. In participatory
democracy people elect their leaders to govern them. But governance is not the monopoly
of elected leaders. When governance becomes the privilege of select few or when
the people who are governed are kept out of the affairs of governance, it
degenerates into misgovernance and becomes a travesty of democracy.

Good
governance is characterized by transparency and accountability and the best way
to ensure transparency and accountability in governance is through increased
and informed participation of people. People are biggest stakeholder in
governance, they have a critical and crucial role to play. So, it is imperative
that people must have the right to know about the activities of the government.

In
2005, Indian Parliament passed Right to Information Act [RTI] which gave
the common citizen the right to seek information regarding government projects,
schemes and other activities. It was a landmark Act which came with the
potentiality to change the very idea of governance and the power equation between common people and the government. The act was promulgated
with the vision of democratization of governance and empowerment of common people
Therefore, Right to Information has been given the status of a fundamental
right under Article 19(1) of the Constitution.

Keeping in view the problems and challenges faced by children, laws have been
introduced and various policies and programmes are being implemented, for the
welfare of children in India

Every
child has right to lead a decent life. The physical, mental and social well
being of a child depends upon the family to which she/ he belongs. In the
process of socialisation during childhood the family and school are two
important institutions which play significant role for integrated development
of the child. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Child, child means a person male or female who is below 18 years of age.
While casting glance over Indian situation, it is found that, around 440
million are children which constitute around 40 percent of country’s
population. India has high rate of neo-natal deaths which is around 35 percent
in the world. Around 50 percent of child mortality occurs in the country.
Keeping in view the problems and challenges faced by the Indian children, laws have
been introduced and various policies and programmes are being implemented for
the welfare of children in India.